A taste of the shoot. More photos are in the full gallery further down the page. Click any photo to see it large.
Isabel ran Dinero Lingo, a Spanish-language comparison website for Colombia. She wanted to build her brand profile so she could promote the business, and she booked a personal branding photo shoot with me to do it. Not a headshot session, but a set of brand photography: lifestyle photos and photos of her working, with her business, her app and her website in the frame.
The brief: brand photography for social media, a new website and PR
Isabel wanted photos she could use on Instagram, LinkedIn and Facebook. She was also about to launch a new website and needed photos for its About Me page, and for local PR.
That is a lot of places for one person's face to appear. If every post uses the same smiling portrait, people stop noticing it. So the aim was a mix of shots and looks she could keep using over the following months.
A personal branding photo shoot at home
We shot at her home and moved around the house to use different spots. A plain white wall gave clean portraits. A glass table by the windows became her desk. A tiled outdoor walkway lined with plants gave a relaxed, outdoor look.
She wore two looks: a white shirt with jeans, and a white dress with lace trim. Changing outfit and location together makes one session look like several, which is exactly what you want when you are planning months of posts.
Showing her in action with her business
Most of the shoot was about Isabel at work. A lightbox sign on the desk spelled out Dinero Lingo, so the business name sat right there in the photos. I photographed her typing on the laptop, writing notes, checking her phone and smiling at the camera from behind her desk.
I also took close-ups of her hands with the laptop and phone, with the Dinero Lingo website and app on screen. These are the photos a brand needs for a post about a new feature, a blog article or a launch. They show the product, with a real person using it.
I shot in portrait and landscape, from the front, from the side, over her shoulder and from above. That gives you options for an Instagram square, a LinkedIn banner, a story or a website header.
“I am really happy with the photos, Paul was diligent, helpful and provided me with good ideas for what I was looking for. I definitely recommend him and his team.”
Isabel Cristina, Dinero Lingo (Facebook review)
How to plan a personal branding shoot at home
If you run a small business from home, you probably have everything you need for a brand photo shoot already. This is what worked for Isabel's shoot, and what I'd suggest you plan for.
Outfits
- Bring at least two looks, one smart and one more relaxed, like Isabel's white shirt and jeans and her white dress.
- Plain, light colours work well against most backgrounds and don't date quickly.
- Change outfit when you change location, so each set of photos feels different.
Props that show your business
- Something with your business name on it, like a lightbox sign, a notebook or packaging.
- Your laptop and phone, with your website or app open on screen.
- A few everyday things, like a favourite mug, pens or fresh flowers, to make the desk feel lived in.
Working shots
- You typing, writing, reading or on your phone.
- Close-ups of your hands on the keyboard or holding your phone, with your product on screen.
- Angles from over your shoulder and from above, as well as straight on.
Backgrounds
- A plain wall for clean portraits you can use on your About page and in PR.
- A tidy desk or table for working shots.
- One outdoor spot, like a garden path or balcony, for a lighter, lifestyle look.
Clear the clutter first and pick three or four spots before the shoot day. Then you can spend the session on the photos, not on moving furniture.
Brand photography in Sydney
Business photography starts at $495 for up to an hour, with up to 10 edited photos and a commercial licence included. For a personal branding photo shoot, that's time for a couple of outfits, working shots and portraits in a few spots around your home or workplace. See business photography in Sydney for what's included.
Shoot details
Client
Isabel, Dinero Lingo
Industry
Spanish-language comparison website for Colombia
Where
At her home
Photographed
Lifestyle portraits and working shots in two outfits, at her desk, against a white wall and outdoors
Used for
Instagram, LinkedIn, Facebook, the About Me page of her new website and local PR
The full gallery
More photos from Isabel's personal branding shoot. Click any photo to see it large.
Need photos to promote your business?
I can photograph you at work, with your products, website or app, in one personal branding session at your home or workplace. Business photography starts at $495 for up to an hour.
